UCSB Undergraduate Applications for Fall Set Record at 76,026

Continuing a decades-long trend, UC Santa Barbara has set a record for the number of first-year students seeking admission to the campus. What’s more, among the UC system, UCSB boasts the second largest increase in freshman applications –– nearly 14 percent –– over last year.

UCSB has received 76,026 applications for undergraduate admission for fall 2013. Of those, 62,402 are from prospective first-year students and 13,637 are from applicants seeking to transfer to UCSB. Of particular note, freshman applications have increased significantly in engineering, biology, economics and physics.

UCSB has target enrollments of 4,300 first-year students and 1,550 transfer students for the fall.

“The increase in the number of freshman and transfer student applications is an inspiring testament to UC Santa Barbara’s reputation as a top-tier university,” Chancellor Henry Yang said. “UC Santa Barbara is recognized as a world leader in academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and innovative teaching. We are proud to be a campus of choice for talented and high-achieving students with diverse backgrounds who enrich our community.”

With 11 national centers and institutes, and more than 100 research units, UCSB offers unparalleled learning opportunities for undergraduate students. The world-class faculty includes five Nobel Laureates, two Academy and Emmy Award winners, and a Millenium Technology Prize recipient.

The academic quality of UCSB’s applicant pool remains strong. Of the 62,402 applicants for the entering class, 20,309 –– or 33 percent –– have a high-school grade point average of 4.0 or higher. The average GPA of all freshmen applicants is 3.74, up from 3.72 in 2012.

UCSB also continues to attract a diverse pool of prospective students. The number of applications from members of underrepresented minority groups increased by 2,441 –– or 14 percent. UCSB received a total of 19,779 freshman applications from African-American, Native American, and Chicano and Latino applicants combined. This represents 32 percent of the applicant pool. In addition, 59 percent of all applicants for the UCSB freshman class are members of a racial or ethnic minority group.

Attesting to UCSB’s reputation across the country and around the world, applications from prospective non-resident students jumped by 39 percent over last year, to 11,987.

Among transfer students, 90 percent of the 13,637 applicants are currently enrolled in a California community college. A total of 3,598 transfer applications were received from members of underrepresented minority groups, which represents a 2 percent increase over last year. Members of underrepresented minority groups account for 26 percent of all transfer applicants this year.

“UCSB’s popularity is evidenced by this large increase in applications,” said Christine Van Gieson, director of admissions. “It reflects the campus’s prominence, both nationally and internationally. The admissions staff members are working round the clock to review each and every application.”

The UC system received a record 174,767 applications –– 139,758 from freshman applicants and 35,009 from prospective transfer student. This represents an increase of 8.6 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. All nine UC undergraduate campuses experienced increases in freshman applicants. The UC Office of the President on Friday posted statistics on undergraduate applications to all campuses. Click here to view them.

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